Making Monte Carlo

November 2, 2015
Braude expands his doctoral dissertation, which examined the evolution of Monaco from 1855 to 1956, into an engrossing examination of how politics, personality, and publicity coalesced to transform a sleepy village into a luxurious playground populated with casinos and beautiful people. This detailed evolution begins with the arrival of gambling impresarios François and Louis Blanc, twin brothers with a vision: capitalizing on the nascent spa trend and combining it with gambling to create a unique destination for hedonists. François spared no expense when it came to creating his resort, Bad Homburg, pouring all the profits back into raising its profile and creating an aura of exclusivity. Fawning press coverage and endorsements from well-known figures—such as painter Edvard Munch, writer F. Scott Fitzgerald, artist Pablo Picasso, and, most surprisingly, philosopher Karl Marx—only added to the resort’s appeal, creating an almost mythical destination. Braude admirably balances the political machinations with the glamorous aspects of Monte Carlo in his story, but he seems winded by the book’s end. What could have been a triumphant and dramatic close—the inaugural Grand Prix—feels more like a wheeze as the book coasts to its conclusion.

February 15, 2016

Monte Carlo, the capital of the sovereign city-state Monaco, has not always been a vacation spot for the glamorous and well- to-do. Braude (history & urban studies, Stanford Univ.) traces the emergence of Monte Carlo as an international hot spot, from its modest beginnings as a resort town with a small casino, a poorly built hotel, and three churches, to its current status as a playground for the rich and famous. The story begins in 1863 when French entrepreneur Francois Blanc first arrived in the city and ends in 1929, with the inaugural Grand Prix on the eve of the stock-market crash. The intervening years are chronicled, showing readers the building of this major hub of luxury and the numerous people that visited or resided in it. VERDICT Braude takes an intriguing look at the creation of Monte Carlo through the people and their stories, sometimes true and sometimes exaggerated, which helped make the place what it is today. Those interested in the history of modern Europe, specifically the individuals involved in defining its most popular locales, will enjoy this book.--Rebecca Kluberdanz, New York P.L.

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